The Champion and the Strangulation that Argentina Forgot

The Champion and the Strangulation that Argentina Forgot: The Murder of Alicia Muñiz by Carlos Monzón In the early morning of February 14, 1988, in Mar del Plata, a street vendor saw a man strangling a woman and throwing her from a balcony. Then that man changed his clothes and jumped after her. Thirty-four years later, his lawyer stated on television that the crime never occurred, ignoring two autopsies that documented the fracture of the hyoid bone: the unmistakable mark of strangulation. In this episode, we explore the forensic investigation that contradicts the defense of a world champion boxer: cartilage and hyoid bone fractures prior to the fall, injuries to Alicia consistent with unconscious impact, and an eyewitness whose statement was never refuted. How did a conviction for simple homicide turn into a case of institutional amnesia about gender violence? Victim: Alicia Muñiz Date: February 14, 1988 Location: Mar del Plata, Argentina Status: Closed - Sentenced to 11 years (served 5) - Rafael Báez, the only eyewitness, described the strangulation and the deliberate change of pajamas minutes before the jump. - A second autopsy confirmed the fracture of the hyoid bone: a strangled person does not jump or run. - Monzón was discharged from the hospital days later and served only 5 of 11 years before dying without confessing. - Three documented threats against the witness during the trial were never formally investigated. Alicia Muñiz, Mar del Plata 1988, Carlos Monzón, homicide, murder, strangulation, boxer, forensic autopsy, gender violence, investigation, mystery, justice, Spanish true crimeIf you'd like to listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or total or partial commercial use is prohibited without prior written authorization. For permissions, licenses, and commercial inquiries: [email protected]